Rigging sequence for HMS Victory

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Step 6 Main Preventer Stay.

Longridge P221-22.

Hackney P62 Fig 13

Install this above the mainstay in the same way as step 5,but placing the first length of rope around the bowsprit only and through the forward slot in the marines walk.Use 17" hearts and 13" rope for the preventer stay itself.

[JIM BAUMANN]

Very very informative!!

Thank you very much for taking the time to post this!
It should be a mine of information for anyone wishing to rig a tall ship of this era as well as Victory herself!

Jim Baumann- ( who was at a Christmas fair right next to HMS Victory earlier!)

[JohnReid]

You are very welcome Jim! It is nice to be able to give back to a hobby that has given me so much pleasure over the years.Right next to Victory herself! Your a lucky man,I never have seen her in person.Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

Step 7. Forestay

Longridge P221-22 Plan 8

Hackney P62 Fig 45.

Using a 9 1/2" rope attach a 26"heart above the bowsprit just ahead of the aftermost bobstay.Place a length of 18" rope around the foremast head .Seize a second 26" heart in the other end and reeve the two hearts together with 6" rope.

[JohnReid]

Step 8. Fore preventer stay

Hackney P62 Fig 45

Longridge P222 Plan 8

Attach this stay above the forestay, use a 6 1/2" rope for the bowsprit collar just ahead of the middle bobstay,11 1/2" rope for the stay itself and two 16"hearts .Reeve the two hearts together using 4 1/2" rope.

[JohnReid]

Step 9 Snaking

Hackney P62 plate 11 (excellent pic)

Longridge P222 Fig 151

Using a 2" rope snake together the forestay and the fore preventer stay.The snaking is continuous from just above the upper hearts to just below the knot where the stays divide around the masthead.It is tied around one stay ,taken to the other and tied around that then back again to the other and so on.
The mainstay and the main preventer stay should also be snaked the same way.


Note: the snaking could be done now or later but sometime before starting the running rigging.I like to leave it till later Why? because I don't permanently fasten down the standing rigging at this time but do it only when it is all completed.

[JohnReid]

Step 10 Mizzen Stay

Hackney P62 Fig 45


Longridge P222 Plan 6
Step 10 Mizzen Stay

Hackney P62 Fig 45


Longridge P222 Plan 6

81/2 " rope set up from mizzen masthead and leading forward and down to tie in a loop around the mainmast.The other end then ties off to the deck eyebolt aft of the mainmast.

[JohnReid]

Step 11 Mizzen Preventer Stay

Hackney P62 Plate 10

Longridge P222 Plan 6

8 1/2 " rope ,rigged as for the mizzen stay but the loop around the mainmast is made a little more than halfway up the mast.The other end ties off to the eyebolt on the deck.

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Step 12 Jeer Blocks, Fore and Main.

Hackney P62 Fig 41

Longridge Fore yard P241 Plan 8

Main yard P251

Jeer blocks are three sheave and they hang just below the level of the tops by means of a 7" rope loop around the masthead turns.These turns made first,are of 4 1/2 " rope passed six times round the masthead and through the mast cleat on the opposite side from the block,so forming a strop.These cross front and rear of the masthead.The jeers on the mainmast are 28" and those on the foremast are 26".

[JohnReid]

[JohnReid]

Step 13

Jib Boom Horses

Hackney P64 Fig 13.

Longridge 227,234 Plan 6.


Make a series of simple overhand knots in a length of 4" rope.Clove hitch the center of this around the outer end of the jib boom and tie the other two ends together around the jib boom behind the bowsprit cap.To look natural,allow the ropes to sag beneath the boom under their own weight .

[JohnReid]

Step 14

Topmast Pendants

Hackney P 64 Fig 21

Longridge I can't find a good reference for this step in Longridge.
It is a single pendant of the type seen on the mizzen mast.
I will however try to find a reference and post it here.

It is a single pendant of the type seen on the mizzen mast.
I will however try to find a reference and post it here.
A single pair of pendants is fitted around each of the fore and main topmasts immediately above the crosstrees,in the same way as the mizzen pendant.They are 5 1/2" rope.There is no topmast pendant on the mizzen.
__________________

[JohnReid]

Step 15

Breast Backstays

Hackney P64

Longridge P231-32 Fig 162 (good drawing of the breast backstay purchase)


These are fitted to the fore and main topmasts only,one each side, they are 7" rope with an eye going over the masthead and a 14" block tied into the lower end slightly above deck rail level.A 5" rope is tied to the base of the first deadeye on each channel except the mizzen ones,it runs through the block,and ties off to the base of the third deadeye on the fore channels and to the base of the second deadeye on the main channels.

[JohnReid]

Deleted posts and drawings.
I have deleted some posts here and on my photobucket .I have decided to use my pictures only.No drawings or other material will be used as this is available from other sources on the web.It is really only the sequence of rigging that is missing on the websites and besides my drawing are lousy.Thank you for your understanding ,I am kind of learning about what works and doesn't work as I go along too.
Cheers! John.

[JohnReid]

Step 16

Fore Topmast Standing Backstay

Hack P64
Long P222


Three each side,of 7" rope.

____________________
Step 17

Main Topmast Standing Backstay

Hack P64
Long P222

Three each side of 7" rope belay to the foremost eye on the backstay stool.

[JohnReid]

Please note:
For large pics of the rigging please go to my photobucket.When on my main page scroll down the albums list on the port side.
Click on "Victory book" and there you will find large and very large pictures , in approximately the right sequence for rigging Victory.Remember these pics are of a 1/72 scale model blown up to make your job of rigging easier.Color,scale,small flaws and mistakes will be embarrassingly obvious to the expert but at scale distance to the ordinary modeler it looks fine.Remember this is a diorama and I did use some artistic license for overall effect.Anyway that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[JohnReid]

The most important thing is the rigging sequence and that I can vouch for because when I finished I only had two pieces of running rigging that I couldn't place properly.I forget what they were now but because I no longer had access to the bottom of the mast I had to belay them to the shrouds.
After I finish the sequence of rigging I plan to identify the belaying points on the ship for each step of the rigging process that I am showing here.I plan to identify them by keying them to each step that I am working on now.The actual run of the rigging is covered very well by Longridge but he like all the others(except Hackney) is very confusing on the step-by step sequence,In other words the "how to..." of how the rig the ship in the proper order, which in this case happens to be how the real ship was rigged by her riggers at the time.Luckily for us as modelers it also happens to be the best method to rig a model. If you are not careful you can very quickly loose access to critical areas in all the maze of rigging.As a general rule I never permanently belay anything down until thinking it though.Sometimes it is tempting to want to completely finish a step without really thinking about it.A good example would be the shrouds ,do not finish them with laniards and ratlines until the end of the rigging process.You can finish them individually but leave the laniards(the ropes between the deadeyes} loose.I don't know how many times I had to free them to get access to the running rigging belaying points at the foot of the masts.The ratlines you will have good access to until the end so there is no rush to finish them.
It is very important to keep asking yourself "will I need future access to this area ?" and resist the temptation to "finish it " permanently.

[JohnReid]

Please note:
There is one exception to what I said about rigging the ratlines and that is the area between the futtock stave and the deadeyes at the top.Due to reasons of accessibility the ratlines that run from the futtock stave to the masthead are best installed before the futtock shrouds.See:Longridge P229 Fig 157 and Plate 63.
When climbing the shrouds to the top most sailors would use the ratlines attached to the futtock shrouds instead of going up the safer way through the "lubbers hole".( "landlubber")